Durham car rentals
Same drop-off
Driver's age: 26-65
Thu 8/6
Noon
Thu 15/6
Noon
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Cheap car rentals in Durham
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| Minivan |
| Passenger Van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
Top tips for renting a car in Durham
- Durham is surrounded by cities with numerous attractions. If you are in Durham, your best bet to exploring most, if not all, these attractions lies in renting a vehicle. Hiking fans can make their way to the Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve in Wake Forest, which is approximately 32.3 miles away from Durham City Center. The Cocoon Gallery and Wine & Design are also great places to explore in Apex. They are about 24.2 and 23 miles away from Durham City center, respectively, taking you about 30min to get there. Therefore, cheap car rentals in Durham are ideal for travels outside the city.
- Those arriving at Durham Railway Station and are looking to rent a vehicle can consider visiting any of the car rental agencies located there. These Durham car rentals are located close to the railway station so that passengers arriving can easily access them. In addition, you’ll not have to take taxis deeper into the city for you to find a rental company. Therefore, if you are arriving at the station, visit any car rental agencies, including Hertz, Thrifty, Enterprise, Alamo, Avis, and Dollar, among several others, to secure a rental vehicle choice. These rental cars are perfect for exploring what the city offers and convenient if you are expected to visit several destinations within a day.
- You have to be careful with Durham roads because many are very synonymous and, in some cases, miles from each other. You can easily get confused if you are not alert. Chapel Hill Rd/St/Blvd is the most notorious. It stretches from Lakewood and the West End neighborhood to the Chapel Hill border through Shannon Plaza. The area is primarily commercial, with large numbers of businesses and restaurants. When lost or in doubt, just ask a local—using a map or GPS would help when navigating the city.
- There’s plenty to explore in Durham, from the Museum of Life and Science in the north to the exciting city center, and it is all best reached by car. Rent a car for your time in Durham to gain an ultimate sense of freedom and to not be tied to public transport. Renting a car will also give you the chance to leave the city limits and discover the beauty of the adjoining Duke Forest or Lake Falls, which is about half an hour away by car.
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about 14 miles south of Durham center and rental cars can be picked up from various onsite agencies. There are courtesy shuttle buses between the terminals and the rental car center at Zone 5 (T1) and Zone 18 (T2) and driving to Durham will take about twenty minutes via the I-40 W and NC-147 N.
- The weather can be contribute to somewhat treacherous conditions in Durham, with regular thunderstorms in the summer and sleet in the winter. Drivers who are surprised by heavy rain showers or face icy roads due to the freezing rain should definitely adjust their speed and probably even stop where it is safe to do so and wait until the worst has passed.
- Traffic increases in Durham during weekday rush hours. Morning peaks usually occur between 7 and 9 am, when inbound traffic on the I-40 can cause heavy congestions. Outbound traffic can be particularly severe between 5 and 7 pm, also mainly affecting the I-40. Try to avoid driving around during these peak times or take smaller country roads to avoid getting stuck in the interstate traffic.
- Book your rental car in Durham at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Standard rental cars in Durham are around -42% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Durham
Durham car rental reviews and directory
Avis
7.7
Good
26 reviewsBest rated
Cleanliness
7.7
Comfort
8.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.0
Value for money
7.3
One location in Durham
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Show reviews that mention
Reviews
8.0 Very good
Oct. 2022
8.0 Very good
Apr. 2021
Pros:
It was easy.Cons:
Being able to get Satellite Radio.10.0 Wonderful
Jan. 2021
Pros:
Easy pick up and drop offCons:
Nothing7.6 Good
Jun. 2020
Pros:
Staff was friendly.Cons:
Staff should have considered the delays I incurred in returning the car because of multiple protests in Virginia and NYC, as well as a curfew, all of which were out of my control.9.2 Wonderful
Sep. 2019
Pros:
The staff were excellent and did a fine job. Avis was wonderful. The Nissan Versa I rented ran great. The only issue was that the seat was uncomfortable (6-hour drive).Cons:
The vehicle (Nissan Versa) was scratched in several places with minor dents apparent. It didn't bother me and was well documented. I am very pleased with Avis and plan on using them again.7.6 Good
Sep. 2017
Pros:
Everything about the car was great.Cons:
Customer service was rude. When they saw we had kids they said, "Be sure you clean the car before you return the car.".Enterprise Rent-A-Car
7.3
Good
24 reviewsCleanliness
7.4
Comfort
7.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.3
Value for money
6.9
5 locations in Durham
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Reviews
2.0 Poor
May 2021
Cons:
They didn't have cars available. I was on a wait list but was never contacted either way after that.2.0 Poor
Jul. 2020
Pros:
Nothing - I showed up to pick up the truck and none was available. Enterprise did not attempt to contact me to let me know there were no vehicles available and did nothing to remedy the situation. I had to cancel me plans and reschedule for the following weekend with Alamo. I will never rent from Enterprise again from your site or any other site.Cons:
Live up to their obligations and communicate and not leave their customers hanging.2.8 Poor
Jul. 2020
Cons:
The car was filthy and smelled of smoke even though it was a nine smoking car. The seats were super uncomfortable and there was a terrible squeak. The car needed to be retired as a rental.10.0 Wonderful
Mar. 2017
Pros:
Convenient , reliable and most of all comfortable. Easy to pay, friendly calls the day of and before to make sure I was still interested in using them. They wanted to make sure what I needed and to have it available for me. The cost was so much more my size than any of the other place I had tried. The price was cheap and much more for someone's pocket that is on a fixed income.Cons:
That the person checking up to see if I needed the vehicle did not tell me about having to bring 2 forms to prove of my ability to pay, and live. This was an inconvenience for me, but the person at the desk helped me and my husband out.2.0 Poor
Feb. 2017
Pros:
NothingCons:
I got no car after reserving it. The branch claimed they had no cars at all that morning.8.8 Very good
Feb. 2017
Pros:
The size and type of car was good, the price was good.Cons:
The car smelled a bit like someone had been smoking in the car and the seats needed to be shampooed. I also didn't like the way the car drove: it was an automatic but the gears shifted hard.Hertz
7.3
Good
6 reviewsCleanliness
7.3
Comfort
7.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.3
Value for money
6.6
2 locations in Durham
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Reviews
4.0 Mediocre
Mar. 2023
8.0 Very good
Feb. 2023
10.0 Wonderful
Jul. 2022
Budget
7.2
Good
26 reviewsCleanliness
6.9
Comfort
7.1
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.1
Value for money
7.1
One location in Durham
Filters
Reviews
9.2 Wonderful
Aug. 2019
Pros:
Super friendly staff at both locations10.0 Wonderful
Nov. 2017
Pros:
They didn’t have the car we wanted so they upgraded us at no charge6.0 Okay
Jul. 2017
Pros:
Nice people, quick and easy pickup and drop off.Cons:
The car needed alignment. It was shuddering on the highway during the entire 4 hour drive.2.0 Poor
Jul. 2017
Cons:
There was no rental car available and we had to cancel our reservation.4.0 Mediocre
Nov. 2016
Pros:
Quick check-inCons:
Car smelled horrible with cigarette smoke. We tried to switch cars but no other cars were available so we were stuck with a miserable 4 hour drive. There is no way that someone didn't notice this when they were inspecting the car.2.0 Poor
Nov. 2022
82 travellers who rented a car in Durham gave the car agency they used an average rating of 7.4
Car rental locations in or near Durham
Good to know
Most popular car type | Standard |
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When to book a rental car in Durham
Average daily price per month
Rental car prices as pick-up date approaches